The University of the Free State has recently been granted approval to offer an undergraduate degree in Forensic Science – the first of its kind in South Africa!

Vanessa Lynch & Carolyn Hancock of The DNA Project with members of the Forensic Dept at the launch of the Hons degree in 2010

The degree will be a 3-year B. Sc. degree in Forensic Sciences.  The curriculum offered will be as follows:

1st year – The foundational year will involve the study of Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics.

2nd year – During the second year of study students will take modules in Genetics, Chemistry, and Forensic Science. The Forensic Science module will include an introduction to Forensic Science, Crime Scene Investigation, Forensic Photography and applicable legislation).

The UFS

3rd year – Students will choose between third year modules in Genetics or Chemistry. In addition they will complete advanced modules in Forensic Science (including ballistics), Physical Evidence (including the study of imprints and fiber analysis), Forensic Entomology and DNA Forensics.

For admission to this degree students require an AP score of 34 and an accumulated score of 17 for Maths, Physical Science and Life Science.

Forensic Hons Student at the UFS

A maximum of 80 students will be admitted per year. Students have to apply before September 30th 2013 for admission in 2014.

On completion of the undergraduate program, post-graduate level students can continue with Forensic Science, Forensic Chemistry, Forensic Genetics or Forensic Entomology.

For people who are interested in a lecturing position at the University, a senior lecturer position will be advertised in the Sunday Times and Rapport on 7th April. Preference will be given to candidates who are Forensic Scientists or those with a doctorate in Physics.

For more information contact Prof. Spies at SpiesJJ@ufs.ac.za

Many of you may have already heard about The Starfish Story?
A young girl was walking along a beach upon which thousands of starfish had been washed up during a terrible storm. When she came to each starfish, she would pick it up, and throw it back into the ocean. People watched her with amusement.

She had been doing this for some time when a man approached her and said, “Little girl, why are you doing this? Look at this beach! You can’t save all these starfish. You can’t begin to make a difference!”

The girl seemed crushed, suddenly deflated. But after a few moments, she bent down, picked up another starfish, and hurled it as far as she could into the ocean. Then she looked up at the man and replied,

“Well, I made a difference to that one!”

The old man looked at the girl inquisitively and thought about what she had done and said. Inspired, he joined the little girl in throwing starfish back into the sea. Soon others joined, and all the starfish were saved. (adapted from the Star Thrower by Loren C. Eiseley)

I love that story. I think of it often when presenting to an audience and someone brings up yet another pressing issue which needs to be dealt with in our country and my response is always, ‘Yes! Absoloutely –  what are you going to do about it?’

Yesterday, I drove to the amazing new Khayelitsha Hospital where the ThuThuzela Rape Crisis Centre has now been moved. I had received a desperate plea from one of the Dr’s who work at the ThuThuzela Care Centre for more Handbags for their patients – Rape Survivors. In response to this plea, and thanks to the help of the Gauteng based ‘Handbag Project’, I was able to deliver another 50 Handbags to them, each containing various items needed by Rape Survivors following the distressing experience of forensic evidence being collected from them following a rape. Whilst not a core function of the DNA Project, it is always something we facilitate in Cape Town because there is not yet a dedicated resource to do it in this region.

The beautiful new Khayelitsha Hospital

This is a little bit like the Starfish Story. Providing a handbag to a Rape Survivor shows that person dignity, care and respect at a time when it is needed the most. Whilst this in no way stops rape from happening or ensures the perpetrators are brought to book, it is a small gesture within all of our reach to  show humanity and care. And this is not something just for the ‘girls’ to be part of. All of us, men and women, boys and girls, mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers can find a handbag in our mother, grandmother or sister’s cupboard, fill it with a few items and take a few minutes to sit down and draft a handwritten note to be placed in each bag (the notes are probably the most important item for the survivor – a few words of encouragement to restore some hope during this traumatic time.)

Each bag is a starfish. It makes a difference to that one person.

For more information email Maya Moodley

The Khayelitsha ThuThuzela Care Centre require between 30 and 50 bags per month!

If you live in the Gauteng Region,  the bags are collected by The EPIC Foundation which is run by, Alta McMaster (cell: 082 940 6230 ) and delivered to Rape Crisis Centres and Victim Empowerment Centres  (VEC) who deal with the police stations.   The handbags are not given directly to the police stations to keep.  The handbags are monitored very carefully (i.e. they are  numbered and a register kept). In the Durban area, the bags are collected by The Jes Foord Foundation.

Unpacking the bags at the Khayelitsha ThuThuzela Care Centre

ITEMS NEEDED TO FILL EACH HANDBAG FOR THE HANDBAG PROJECT:

Handbag – in which to place the following items (please, no dirty or broken handbags)

Face Cloth
Panties (med or large)- no g-strings
Sanitary Towels
Soap
Tooth Paste
Tooth Brush
Shampoo
Deodorant
Body lotion (small)
Comb or brush
Tissues
Chocolate
Hair clips/Bands
Note – words of comfort/care

I felt we needed to hear some good news last week in the wake of yet another gruesome murder in South Africa, this time at the hands of SAPS – that of Mido Macia, a 27-year-old taxi driver from Mozambique.

I thought this would come in form of the adoption by Cabinet of the DNA Bill – a positive and necessary step to start expanding our National DNA Database which would be given the power to start positively linking murderers and rapists to their grisly deeds.

The final draft of the DNA Bill was supposed to have been adopted by Cabinet last Thursday, 7th March 2013,  five years after the the first draft of the DNA Bill was adopted by Cabinet in December 2008. But this was not to be.

The frustration and disappointment I felt on Thursday morning when I heard that the DNA Bill was not on Cabinet’s agenda, was more than I have felt in a very long time. For those who know me, I am an eternal optimist, always looking for the good side of the story, a reason to believe. This is what drives me to continue to fight so passionately for what I consider to be urgently needed in a country which is being crippled by crime. But last Thursday, following this news, I have to admit that I found it difficult to muster up any of that usual fight. If I was one to spit, which I am not, I think that is what I would have done that day — spat at the door of Parliament! To simply leave this DNA Bill off the agenda for yet another month because Cabinet were not given the requisite ‘seven days notice thereof’ (they were given six days notice, one day short), is pathetic. How difficult is it in a country which is screaming out for solutions to crime, to make an exception, or convene a special meeting of Cabinet to adopt this DNA Bill so that it can finally and  deservedly be given a place on the Portfolio Committee for Police’s legislative programme? This would indicate a real and urgent intention by our Government to stand up and do something tangible in the fight against crime!

But. This is yet another example of A. Lack. Of. Political. Will.

It didn’t take me too long to get over this disappoinment. Fortunately. I am back in the proverbial driving seat again, having been inspired by my colleagues and the many incredible supporters of our project who believe in what we do and fight alongside us.

My boxing gloves which hang in my office - ready to fight!

The next step: We have been assured that the DNA Bill is now firmly on the agenda for the next Cabinet sitting which we hope will be held shortly after the Easter weekend. Once the DNA Bill is adopted, we trust that the Portfolio Committee for Police will show some urgency in putting it on their parliamentary programme and advertising for public commentary on the DNA Bill within the same month.

In the meantime, I continue to don my boxing gloves, and get on with our other pressing projects, most importantly the business of trying to create greater crime scene awareness in SA!

We live in hope!

Vanessa Lynch

I am sure that I am not the only South African who feels the effects of last week.

In the wake of Anene Booysens murder, with most South Africans ‘gatvol’ of the unacceptable level of violent crime in our country, comes Dr Mamphela Ramphele’s announcement to form a new political party and the tragic death of Reeva Steenkamp.

These three events, for me in any event, denote a triad of tragedies in our nation.

1. Anene Booysens rape and murder represents the level of violence in our communities and the apparent inability of our Government to prevent it.

A young girl's message

2. Dr Ramphele’s political intentions disclose the loss of faith so many South African’s feel in our current Government.

3. Reeva Steenkamp’s death reveals the inherent weaknesses in our Criminal Justice System as well as the SAPS, both of which could prove to be potentially catastrophic should they prevent the Truth from coming out.

This is the real state of the nation and having been involved at some level with all three events, I am feeling both encouraged as well as discouraged:

Encouraged because I witnessed how so many South Africans rose up against the death of Anene Booysens in a way in which I have never seen before. Whilst the media put this particularly horrific act of violence out there, Anene Boosyens has come to represent all victims and survivors of violent crime in South Africa and I hope that the momentum that has gathered to rise up against violent crime, is not going to dissipate. At so many levels there are things we can all do to help

A protestor holding up one of our posters

fight this fight: stay ‘loud’ on the issue, support organisations who offer counselling and assistance to rape survivors, submit a public submission in support of the DNA Bill when called, use your social media platforms to good and constructive effect to spread the word. The list goes on. If you have a will you will find a way!

I am also encouraged by the tenacity of highly respected figures such as Dr Ramphele to call our Government on so many key areas where our nation is feeling let down. I  was fortunate to have been invited to Dr Ramphele’s announcement in JHB last week, held at the amazing Constitutional

Dr Ramphela at Constitutional Hill

Hill’s Women’s Jail and this was an address that I felt our president should have been making the week before – it was an eloquent, and impassioned call to action to not accept mediocrity or worse still, a blatant disregard of our needs, from our Government. If you have not yet read her address, I would encourage you to do so – visit www.agangsa.co.za

And sadly, following the media circus that made up the bail application of Oscar Pistorius, I felt disappointed that critical crime scene management protocols had clearly not been followed which could  potentially prevent the truth from emerging. Inadmissibility of evidence due to the mismanagement of a crime scene is just unacceptable because it is preventable. Come on SAPS! I know that there are some great policemen and women out there – but don’t let yourselves and each other down by disturbing or contaminating crime scenes when it is so avoidable! One of the biggest challenges we have in South Africa is educating first on crime scene responders on the importance of how to protect and preserve a crime scene. Crime Scene Management at a higher level also needs to be addressed and I believe that the Government needs to embark on a massive  training campaign to ensure that those responsible for preserving and collecting crime scene evidence, are properly trained and have the necessary resources to effect their job properly.

Our TV ad: Never Disturb a Crime Scene

On a positive note, I have been approached by so many people about our fantastic advert which etv have so generously flighted as a PSA since Deecember 2012 (i.e., at no cost to us). The message “never Disturb a Crime Scene” has never been more pertinent and if  even one person takes note and follows through on this essential advice, and manages to save critical evidence which links a perpetrator to their crime, then it has been worth it – because that act may just save one life, because by taking the criminal off the street they are preventing him from doing it again. And I talk from experience as well as from a platform where I represent many more people who have lost a loved one to crime in South Africa — that one life, is worth it. – Vanessa Lynch

KEEP OUT! CRIME SCENE!

We are still issuing CRIME SCENE TAPE free of charge to any first on crime scene responder.

A sample of our crime scene tape

The purpose of this tape is to provide a physical barrier between the crime scene and non-forensic, non-essential personnel. The reason we have created this tape is to try and ensure that crime scenes are protected from contamination, destruction and disturbance for as long as possible in order for the Crime Scene Investigators to properly collect evidence left at the crime scene before it is destroyed.

As we cannot use official SAPS barrier tape, we have printed 1000 rolls of this ‘non-official’ barrier tape which actually has a functional message and we are hoping, will prevent people from entering crime scenes. It will be issued to CPF’s, paramedics, security companies and non-SAPS first responding officers in an effort to help SECURE the crime scene.

Should you wish to obtain a roll of this tape for the above purposes, please contact Maya Moodley on maya@dnaproject.co.za and she will send you further information.

Did you think scientists couldn’t have fun? Think again – you may have been looking in all the wrong places.

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FAMELAB TALKING SCIENCE COMPETITION A FIRST FOR SOUTH AFRICA

February sees the international FameLab competition getting underway for the first time in South Africa. FameLab 2013 Competition is open to scientists, mathematicians, engineers or technologists studying or working in South Africa and who are between 21-35 years of age.

Hailed as “Pop idols for scientists” the competition originated at the Cheltenham Science Festival in 2005 and has spread like wildfire to include 25 countries. Contestants have 3 minutes to explain a science concept using only what they can carry onto the stage with them – and no PowerPoint!

The competition kicks off with regional heats and regional semi-finals around the country. Finalists win great prises and attend the FameLab master class before competing in the national final at Scifest Africa in Grahamstown on the 15th of March. The winner of the national competition walks away with a R10 000 grand prize and an all expenses paid trip to represent South Africa in the international final at Cheltenham in the UK.

The aim behind the competition is to encourage young scientists to talk about their work – improving their communication skills to public (or non-science) audience – critically important where science and technology impacts on the whole of society. The competition also seeks out new spokespeople for science – to inspire a new generation of scientists and challenge public perceptions about what it means to be a scientist.

If you are a scientist, mathematician, engineer or technologist either studying or working in South Africa and in the age range 21-35, then FameLab is for you. Registrations are already open and the competition is attracting researchers, academics, and young professionals who are eager to share their science with the world.

Participants can register online, and then come with their 3 minute talk to one of the regional heats. The heats take place in Johannesburg (21st Feb at SciBono Discovery centre), Durban (26th of February at The KZN Science Centre) and in CapeTown (28th of Feb at the CapeTown Science Centre). If you can’t make one of the regional heats you can also enter by uploading a video to the FameLab site before the 15th of February.

For registration forms, more information and tips on how to impress the judges visit www.britishcouncil.org.za/famelab

The competition is an initiative of Cheltenham Festivals. It is run in South Africa by the British Council and independent science communication agency Jive Media Africa with the kind support of the South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement (SAASTA).

ends
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Contacts:
Remo Chipatiso
Head: Partnerships and Projects Team, British Council
remo.chipatiso@britishcouncil.org, Tel: +27 (0)82 809 9989

Robert Inglis
Director, Jive Media Africa, robert@jivemedia.co.za
Tel: +27 (0)84 357 7333

More information:
FameLab international: www.famelab.org
FameLab South Africa: www.britishcouncil.org.za/famelab

This is the State of the Nation Mr President, what are you going to do about it?

These were the words on a poster held up by young school girls in Cape Town today, where I joined countless others in a silent vigil to protest against the unacceptable level of violence against women and children in South Africa, spurred on by the brutal rape and murder of Anene Booysens.

This is the State of the Nation Mr President - what are you going to do about it?!

It is the first time that I have ever ‘stood vigil’ or even attended a ‘rally’, always having felt in the past that I would rather put my energy into something ‘tangible’. But, standing in silent protest today was strangely empowering – especially because there was such a feeling of unity amongst all of us there today – standing together as angry, impassioned South Africans regardless of our different cultures, races, religions, ages or genders (or even nationalities, as Annie Lennox was there today speaking out in protest too). There is a groundswell of intolerance in the belly of our country right now and it is ‘tangible’ – and I sincerely hope that after two weeks, it is not forsaken and simply forgotten, but that it continues to grow, gathering momentum until our Government start taking appropriate and immediate action to stop these horrific acts of violence from happening again and again….

A protester holding up one of our posters at the silent vigil held in Cape Town today

And one of the ways we know they can do this, is to promulgate the DNA legislation that will at the very least help get rapists off the streets, before they can rape again and again. We know that DNA evidence convicts rapists. There is no reason why the DNA Bill, now finalised and ready to be tabled, should not be prioritised to help fight crime in this country.

If you are joining in one of the many #1billionrising marches tomorrow, please print out one of these posters we have made: DNA Convicts Poster , which can be blown up into any size you choose, to highlight our fight and force Government to stand up and do something!

Vanessa Lynch talking to Annie Lennox (who joined in the silent protest today) about the lack of appropriate DNA laws in SA

For More details of where you can join in a #1billionrising march tomorrow, click here.

Stand up and be counted.

Vanessa Lynch & The DNA Project Team

The following letter is an open letter I have written to various newspapers today in the wake of the brutal attack and murder of Anene Booysens, aged 17, last week.

The brutal attack and murder of yet another innocent young South African girl, brings to mind the evocative words of Chris Asplen, an International DNA Expert who after visiting our country, wrote an editorial in several newspapers in June 2011 [Gauteng (Saturday Star, 11 June 2011) , KZN (The Witness, 10 June 2011) and the Western Cape (Sunday Argus, 5 June 2011)]. Read the full article here

Mr Asplen has helped over 35 countries realise the potential of DNA technology to protect victims — mostly women and children — from the horrors of rape. In that article, he highlighted the fact that the most important factor influencing the potential effect of DNA in any criminal justice system is what the law allows you to do with it and that nowhere is that dynamic more tragically clear than in South Africa. At that time, Mr Asplen bemoaned that the politicians in the South African Parliament had, ten years since his first visit to our country, STILL failed to give police the legal authority to save literally thousands upon thousands of lives with DNA.  Make that twelve years later, and Mr Asplen would be horrified to learn that  South Africa has STILL NOT, in contrast with over more than 50 countries around the world, passed the DNA Bill which would allow for the establishment of a forensic DNA database.
Reading that editorial now, his words are chilling in the wake of the rape, mutilation and murder of Anene Booysen, aged 17, last week:

Anene Booysen

“As someone who works regularly in other peoples’ countries, I don’t “call out” or criticise foreign  officials easily or often.  But on a scale unequaled anywhere else on earth, hundreds of thousands of  children’s lives are sacrificed because of the failure to act by politicians in South Africa.  The Parliamentary Portfolio Committee responsible for the legislation that would give police the ability to immediately begin taking rapists off the street has avoided acting on the law for years.  The legislation sits in Committee while the worst sexual violence statistics in the world continue to pile up.   Except they are not really statistics. They are terrified woman and little girls staring into the face of horrific violence and evil while they are likely infected with HIV – three more of them just in the time it took you to read this article. “

The DNA Project has been fighting tirelessly for the implementation of this DNA Bill for the past 4 years. What is worse, is that a perfectly good draft DNA Bill, which has been extensively reviewed, debated, translated, made into policy and reviewed again, is waiting in the wings of Parliament to be adopted by Cabinet to be reviewed (yes, again!)  by the Portfolio Committee on Police before it can be passed. But, without any political will to ensure that this legislation is promulgated, and urgently, who knows how many more years Mr Asplen will lament on this tragic state of affairs in our country.  It is accepted worldwide that when it comes to fighting back against serial rapists there is nothing better at getting rapists off the street, at protecting young girls from rape,  than DNA databases: so why are we not doing it here? Because we don’t yet have the laws which will give us the power to fight back.

Vanessa Lynch outside Parliament, Cape Town

In the meantime, convicted offenders continue to be released without having their DNA Profiles taken and entered onto the DNA Database, suspects of violent crimes are not routinely profiled because it is not mandatory to do so and our existing Database is hampered by the fact that it cannot be used as a criminal intelligence tool because we do not have the legislation to allow us to expand the DNA database for this purpose. With our high rate of recidivism in SA, we are wasting a valuable opportunity to identify repeat offenders at an earlier stage and get them off the streets, and sadly, it is costing people their lives.

How many more graves do we have to dig?

What compounds this tragedy further is that we have the necessary infrastructure to leverage the power of DNA technology in South Africa. What more excuses do we need to hear? How many more graves do we need to dig? There is nowhere else to place the wreath of responsibility other than around the neck of our politicians who are preventing this critical Bill from being enacted. Let’s hope they don’t have to place a wreath on the grave of their daughter or loved one to move them into action.

____________________________________________________

Vanessa Lynch
Executive Director
The DNA Project | fighting crime with science
Cape Town
E-mail: vanessalynch@dnaproject.co.za // Web: www.dnaproject.co.za

We receive emails on a daily basis enquiring about a career in Forensic Analysis in South Africa. We have put together a list of FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS  which will give you some insight into this field and what is required should you wish to pursue a career in forensics in South Africa:

1. What field of forensic science does the DNA Project focus on?
There are many fields in forensic science and we can only provide you with information on forensic genetics. The DNA Project focuses specifically on the use of DNA from biological material that can be used as evidence in criminal cases. This type of work is
generally done in a laboratory where the scientist will receive evidence from a crime scene, extract DNA from the evidence if possible and thereafter obtain a DNA profile of the individual in question. The DNA profile obtained from crime scene evidence will then
be compared with the DNA profile from a suspect. If they match then it means that the suspect must have been at the crime scene. In contrast if there is no match then the suspect is innocent.
The DNA Project does not have any laboratories of our own and we are not involved with any casework. We function merely as an NGO whose objectives include the implementation of a DNA awareness campaign where we educate people who are likely to be the first at a crime scene on the importance of DNA evidence as well as how to contain and not contaminate a crime scene. In addition, we are lobbying for changes to the existing legislation regarding the use of DNA evidence and a DNA Database to assist
in the detection and conviction of offenders.

2. What subjects do I need to take at school if I want to study to become a forensic DNA analyst?
You will need to take Physical Science, Life Science (Biology) and core Maths for matric in order to be accepted at a University offering a BSc degree in Molecular Biology.

3. How can I study to become a DNA analyst at a forensic science laboratory?
If you are considering a career in Forensic Genetics (DNA) then you would need to complete a B.Sc. and major in Genetics and Biochemistry or Molecular Biology. This can be done at a number of Universities such as Pretoria, University of Cape Town, University of Stellenbosch, University of Free State and University of KZN. The B.Sc. degree takes 3 years to complete. Thereafter you would need to complete an honours degree (1 year) where you would specialise in forensic DNA analysis. Currently there are
two Universities offering such a degree. These are the University of Free State and the University of Cape Town. Such a degree would qualify you for employment at the State Forensic Science Laboratory (part of SAPS) or other private laboratories offering services such as paternity testing.

The contact person at UFS is Dr. Karen Ehlers: EhlersK.SCI@ufs.ac.za

The contact person at UCT is Dr. Marise Heyns: marise.heyns@uct.ac.za
All the above-mentioned courses are offered at postgraduate level at University. Alternatively, a diploma in forensic science is offered by a company called Forensics 4 Africa. In this regard you could contact Pierre Joubert at: pierre@forensics4africa.com

Students at work at the UFS Genetics Dept.

4. Can I do an internship or job shadow someone at the DNA Project?
The DNA Project does not have any laboratories of their own and are not involved with
any case work. We function merely as an NGO that tries to assist the State Forensic
Science Laboratory to operate more efficiently. At present our primary objectives include
a DNA awareness campaign where we educate people who are likely to be the first at a
crime scene on the importance of DNA evidence as well as how to contain and not
contaminate a crime scene.
Unfortunately due to contamination issues, as well as the sensitive nature of criminal
casework, I do not think it will be possible for you to job shadow anyone at the State
Forensic Science Laboratory. You could however contact one of the private laboratories
to see if they would have anything available. This would give you some idea only of the
type of laboratory work you would be involved with. Some private laboratories include:
Pathcare, Unistel, GENEDiagnostics and Lancet.

5. How do I find out about employment opportunities in the field of forensic biology?
In terms of employment opportunities, your best bet would be to obtain employment within the South African Police Force – the structure under which all disciplines of forensics fall. The State labs are often looking for new staff members. They generally advertise in the Sunday papers and advertise for a number of posts at the same time.

The new state-of-the-art Forensic Lab in Plattefkloof, Cape Town

Whenever we are notified of posts that are available you will find the information on our blog. The last advertisement can be found  here. Alternatively, you  can contact some private laboratories which do work on cases such as paternity testing: Pathcare, Unistel, GENEDiagnostics and Lancet.

A young girl is brutally attacked and viciously raped in the small town of Louisvale in the Northern Cape. Her injuries are so substantial that gang rape is assumed. This horrifying attack provokes outrage in the local community and six men are swiftly arrested and subsequently spend the next three months in jail – for their own safety, as the community have threatened them with their lives for committing this monstrous attack. All six men lose their jobs. On examining the case the public prosecutor calls for DNA analysis to be used to assist in the investigation. First, samples are taken from the crime scene, which in this instance is the young girl herself. A doctor collects DNA samples from her clothing and body, which are sent to the forensic science laboratory’s DNA unit for analysis. In the meantime, DNA reference samples are also taken from the six suspects and sent to the same laboratory for analysis to determine whether the DNA profiles of these six men match those analysed from the samples taken from the victim.

The DNA results reveal an unexpected turn in the investigation as they show that only one rapist is responsible for this terrible attack and that none of the six accused men have a DNA profile that matches that of the real assailant. Based on these results, the six falsely accused men are immediately released and exonerated of the crime. Another suspect, a former boyfriend of the young girl’s mother, is subsequently arrested and a DNA reference sample is taken from him and sent to the DNA laboratory for analysis. The DNA results show an exact DNA match with the rapist. He is sentenced to life imprisonment.

This is not a scene from CSI, but an account of an actual case which occurred in South Africa. What is particularly significant in this case is that DNA not only proved the innocence of six people but also led to the conviction of the actual rapist. DNA can therefore be used not only to link suspects to a crime but to exclude innocent people from an investigation.

But what of those people in prison who may have been convicted before the advent of DNA Profiling in South Africa? The case above demonstrates the power of DNA to exclude a suspect which is equally, if not more important than including a suspect in an investigation. In law school I was taught: ‘…rather let 500 guilty people go free, than convict one innocent person.’ Think about it. That innocent person could be you, and I could think of nothing worse than being imprisoned for a crime I had not committed.

I am therefore proud to have been asked to become a Committee Member of the Innocence Project of South Africa (IPSA), a recently formed non-profit organisation dedicated to the investigation, litigation and exoneration of individuals wrongfully convicted in South Africa. At first, the Project will focus exclusively on those cases in which scientific testing (specifically DNA testing) can establish the innocence of those wrongfully convicted. The IPSA will therefore specifically focus on cases where persons were convicted and post-conviction DNA testing of evidential material may establish their innocence. And, where persons were convicted when DNA testing was not yet available or where earlier processes used were not as discriminating and accurate as the current available testing methods.

However, it is envisaged that as the IPSA develops, the need may arise to also provide assistance in those cases where wrongful convictions result from other systemic defects in the Criminal Justice System, such as eyewitness misidentification; false confessions and admissions; the role of unreliable informants and ineffective legal representation.

It is the vision of the Innocence Project SA that no person will ever go to prison for a crime that he/she did not commit.

Based on the number of exonerations*** taking place through the work of the Innocence Project in the USA, there is no doubt that this is a hugely important project in our own country and I invite you to visit their website to read more about the work they plan to do in South Africa.

Vanessa Lynch

*** There have been more than 300 post-conviction DNA exonerations in United States history:

• Eighteen people had been sentenced to death before DNA proved their innocence and led to their release.
• The average sentence served by DNA exonerees has been 13.6 years.
• In almost 50 percent of DNA exoneration cases, the actual perpetrator has been identified by DNA testing.

24 January 2013

A reader raised the question yesterday as to why the South African Government are objecting to passing DNA legislation in South Africa – the answer is that there is no objection – they are simply not prioritising it!

The Portfolio Committee on Police in session

It is however heartening to report that we can confirm that a final draft of the proposed DNA Bill is now ready to be tabled in Parliament – The Secretariat for Police, Jenny Irish-Qhobosheane, advised us this week that this will happen after the State of the Nation address on the 14th Feb. 2013.

Gen Shezi (from the Forensic Science Lab) with the Civilian Secretariat Jenni Irish-Qhobosheane outside Parliament

There are only two Bills currently before the Portfolio Committee on Police: The Dangerous Weapons Bill (which is all of 7 pages long, of which only two pages are substantive)! – and the Private Security Industry Regulation Amendment Bill. We have been advised that the Dangerous Weapons Bill will be dealt with first and that the DNA Bill will be dealt with next and will be prioritised over the Private Security Bill. This however remains to be seen and should we see that the Private Security Bill takes precedence over the DNA Bill, we will be vociferous in our response, as we hope you will be too! If the Portfolio Committee on Police should deem the Private Security Amendment Bill to be more important than the DNA Bill, which literally has the ability to take rapists and murderers off the street, it would be not only alarming, but despicable.

We will be keeping very close track of the progress of the DNA Bill in the following weeks and will provide constant updates on our website and via Facebook.

Vanessa Lynch.